Tube cleaning and cutting machine



Oct. 12

N. A. RHOMBERG TUBE CLEANING AND CUTTING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1924 2 Sneets-Sheet ENTOR 7X7;

Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,838

- N. A. RHOMBERG TUBE CLEANING AND CUTTING MACHINE Orizinal Filed March 10, 1924' 2 Sneets-Sheet 2 WITNESS 50 5/ 1 'VENTOR the tube by substituting a cutting Wheel for is mounted on a turntable 6 which Patties 0a. 12, 1926.-

PATENT O'FFIC NORBERT A. BHOMBERG, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

. 'rnnn cLnAmnG AND currme MACHINE.

Application filed Iarch 10, 1924, Serial No. 698,840. Renewed July 12, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements intube cleaning and cutting machines, 1n which boiler tubing with calcareousincrus tations on the outside travels with a rotary progressive motion .past a rotating spur wheel, whereby the incrustations are broken, while suitably arranged rotary wire brushes hel to remove the broken fragments, of dust an dirt. 1 e

The same machine is utilized for-cutting the spur wheel.

' The object of my invention is to produce a machine which cleans tubing efi'ectlvely and rapidly so that the cleaned tube can be reinserted in the boiler while the second tube is cleaned in my machine. a

Another object is 'to produce a mach ne which makes a crushing of the tube during the cleaning process unlikely since the crush ing pressure is exerted mainly by hand.

Another object is to produce a -mach1ne which effectively removes all fragments of incrustations after they are broken.

Another object is t produce a machine which can also be effectively used in cuttmg the tube.

Other objects and advantages areto be found in the construction .and arrangements of parts as will be described in the specificatlon, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

I attain these objects with the mechamsm illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

whiche Fig. 1 is a planview ofthe entlre machine.

' Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 2 along the line 33.

Fig. l is a detail of the pipeecutter. 1 Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The bench 1, which should be approximately twice as long as the boiler tube 2, may be constructed of wood or metal, and rests on suitable floor stands 3.

' Distributed over the benchl are a number of supports or saddles for the tube. To eliminate friction as much as possible each saddle is composed of two roller wheels 4 supported in bearings 5, which latter are rigidly aflixed to the bench'l, with the exception of the center saddle. This latter is pivoted in the bench l-as shown at 7 in Fig.8, and

- the floor.

by means of the handle 9. Above the bench 1, and parallel thereto, is ashaft 10 supported in suitable bearings 11 and 12. In the latter the shaft. 10 should be capable of adjustment for height by means of the hand wheel 13. The shaft 10 is driven by the 'pulley 14 and belt 15. Attached to the endof the shaft 10, either by the key 16 or any other desired mearfs is a which is located directly over the I turntable 6.

At the rear of the bench 1 are two rotary wire brushes 18, one on each side of the spur wheel 17.

These brushes are mounted on a shaft 19 and driven by a pulley 20 and belt 21. The shaft 19 is supported in bearings 22, which latter are attached to the top of the stand 23.- The bottom of the stand 23 is preferably bifurcated for the sake of greater rigidity, and pivotally supported 'in bearings 24 on I Attached to the under side of the bench 1 is a screw 25 mounted in a bracket 26 with female threads, and rotated by a hand wheel 27. The end 28 of the screw. 25'

is connected to the stand 23 in such a manner that a turning of the screw will change the distance between 18 and the tube 2.

In operation the incrusted tube 2 is placed in the saddles with one end under the spur wheel 17. The s ur wheel is then adjusted by means of the l fand'wheel 13 'according'to the diameter of the tube 2 but with a slight clearance between spur wheel 17 and tube 2. Spur wheel 17 and brushes 18 are now set in rotation and, by shifting the handle 9 on the turntable 6 right or left, according to the direction in which the tube 2 is intended to travel, the tube 2 will be forced-to occupy a higher position in the center saddle whereby the incrustations on the tube 2 are brought into crushing contact with the teeth on the spur wheel 17 Since the spur wheel 17 rotates, the tube 2 is also thereby forced to rotate, and the oblique position assumed by the roller wheels 4 of the center saddle imparts to the tube 2 a rotary progressive motion similar to the motion described by an ordinary screw. Where the incrustations are slight the tube can be sent throu h with great rapidity by shifting the ban le 9 on spur wheel 17 the rotary wire brushes 7 wheel 1'? for height. Thus every tube can 9 is reversed and the tube is sentback to its 30 combination of a bench, a rotating saddle original position. The brushes 18 can be -'depended upon to remove the remaining fragments of dirt and dust in a very thorough manner so that, after passing this machine, the tube is in most instances ready to be reinserted in the boiler.

In cutting a tube 2 a beveled .cutter 29, Fig. 4 is substituted for the spur wheel 17. The handle 9 is left undisturbed in its central position and cutting pressure is supplied solely by turning the hand wheel 13. A scarfed cut 30 is left on the end of the tube if the latter is to be welded, otherwise the edge is cut vertically, as shown at 31.

Having thus described my invention, it will be seen that my objects have been accomplished and, though I have shown vthe preferred form of construction, I reserve to myself the right to make minor changes, providing I do not violate the spirit and principle of my invention.

I claim:

In a machine for operating on tubes, the

1,002,,eaa

mounted at the center of the bench, stationary saddles on opposite sides of the center saddle and in alinement therewith, said saddles being adapted to support a tube disposed in the stationary saddles and extendter sadd e elevating said tube into contact with the spur wheel and imparting a rotary progressive motion to said tube, said 1110- tion varying with the degree of rotation of said center saddle, a pivotally mounted stand adjacent to the bench, two rotary brushes mounted on top of the stand in the space between the saddles and the spur wheel, one of said brushes being disposed on each side of the spur wheel, the plane of said brushes traversing the line of salinement of the saddles at right angles a screw 'screwably mounted at the underside of the bench, said screw coacting with the stand' to vary the distance between lineot alinement of the saddles and brushes.

Signed by me at Portland, Oregon, this 5th day of March, 1924. I

N. a nnonnnne. 

